What I Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .


Dear Great American Writers School by Sherry Bunin -- YA Historical Fiction
In 1944, fourteen-year-old Bobby Lee Pomeroy longs to break free of the small Kentucky town she lives in and dreams of being a famous writer. She observes people in the town and writes down her thoughts in a notebook. She is particularly fascinated by Sylvia, the only Jewish girl in town and Thelma, an older girl whose mother is an invalid. When Bobby Lee comes across an ad for The Great American Writers School, a correspondence course for would-be writers, she thinks it's a dream come true and immediately sends a writing sample filled with the observations from her notebook. She's thrilled when the return letter says she has talent and is not daunted by the requests for money for the future lessons. Soon Bobby Lee begins writing regular letters to the wife? daughter? (she's not sure) of the editor at the Great American Writers School. During the year of writing, Bobby Lee learns some important things about writing, friendship and herself. Though Bobby Lee seems naive and immature for her age, she has led a sheltered life in a more innocent time so I found her voice realistic and honest for a girl her age. Bobby Lee's letters are funny and sweet as she reflects on life in a small Kentucky town. I enjoyed reading Bobby Lee's letters and seeing the world through her eyes. This is a good read for young teens and aspiring writers!

The Year of the Sawdust Man by A. LaFaye -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
Growing up in a small Louisiana town in the 1930s, 11-year-old Nissa Bergen is impervious to the gossip that her mother is strange and a witch because Nissa adores Mama and Mama is Nissa's best friend. Sure Mama is different from the other starchy Bible-thumping ladies who frown on drinking nettle tea, bright colors, dancing in the rain and befriending "Colored" people, but that's what makes Mama special in Nissa's eyes. One Friday after school Nissa comes home to discover that her Mama has left for good. Nissa can't understand why her mother has left and worries that the gossip that Mama ran off with another man is true. Nissa tries to figure out why her Mama got dressed up on Sundays and came home smelling like sawdust and if Mama is with the Sawdust Man and is he taking good care of Mama? Nissa reflects on her close relationship with her mother and worries about her mother's love for her, her parents' love for each other and her father's growing interest in a local spinster. Nissa acts and reacts like a typical hurt and confused child, though she's often told she has the cares of an adult and is old before her time. Her father tries, with patience, to understand Nissa's feelings and help her come to terms with her new life. This is a beautifully written and well-crafted story. The images are so brilliant I can see them easily in my mind and I am convinced they must be based on real incidents because they are so detailed. Nissa is very believable and I could feel her pain and her struggle to figure out what happened and why. I didn't find Nissa whiny or bratty at all. Her father has the patience of a saint and I find him hard to believe and like Nissa, I have mixed feelings about Miss Ross. She seems nice and caring but unable to connect with Nissa. This is a wonderful book for ages 10 and up.

Edith Shay by A. LaFay -- YA Historical Fiction
For her entire 16 years Katherine Lunden has been dreaming of far-away places and leaving the Wisconsin farmland and railroad town behind. In 1869 however, girls are expected to stay home and help their families until they marry a local boy and start a family. Katherine is determined to avoid that fate and seizes an opportunity when she's sent to help family in Michigan and they never arrive at the train station. Discovering a battered old suitcase filled with wrapped gifts bearing the name "Edith Shay" and an address in Richmond, Virginia, Katherine is determined to return the suitcase to its' owner. First though, she must navigate the rough city of Chicago where a girl on her own has little opportunity for survival. Katherine's stubborn pride gets her through the tough times until she finds unexpected guardian angels wherever she goes. Katherine learns to appreciate her family and all her parents have provided for her but doesn't let go of her dreams and her wandering spirit. Katherine is an entirely likable and sympathetic character. I can definitely relate to wanting to travel and see what lies beyond one's small home town and I admired Katherine's spirit and determination. I couldn't put this book down, wanting to see what happened to Katherine next and find out if she finds Edith Shay. This is an interesting look at a time when women were beginning to move beyond the boundaries of their home. I think even modern teens can relate to Katherine and enjoy this novel.

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
In August of 1958, a Methodist minister and his family move next door to the formidable Mrs. Dowdel, the larger-than-life colorful Grandma from A Long Way From Chicago and a Year Down Yonder. The season's adventures are told through the eyes of 12-year-old Bob. The family is poor and their church building is in need of extensive repairs. Bob's 14-year-old Elvis-obsessed sister Phyllis is moody and grumpy all the time and his little sister Ruth Ann is only just six, and lives in her own little world. Bob worries about fitting in in his new school and secretly believes the Dowdel place is haunted and strives to stay far away from Mrs. Dowdel. Circumstances (involving bullies, fishing line and a privy) bring Bob to Mrs. Dowdel's attention and soon Bob finds his family interacting with Mrs. Dowdel frequently. Ruth Ann is fascinated by Mrs. Dowdel and imitates her every move, and together they boil up enough trouble to keep the whole town talking for months. Meanwhile, Dad's missing a congregation, Phyllis has found her own personal Elvis and is seldom home yet Mrs. Dowdel seems to know exactly what is going on and how to turn each negative situation into a positive one. Bob stays quietly in the background, observing while strange things happen next door and simple gifts appear in their lives. This is another great yarn from a master storyteller. Peck has a knack of creating larger-than-life characters and throwing them into equally outrageous situations. Mrs. Dowdel is as eccentric as ever and the minister's family is also charmingly quirky. Peck's style reminds me a lot of the movie A Christmas Story. This book is a bit more poignant than the previous two but still contains a lot of the humor Peck is known for. I quite enjoyed this adventure about Mrs. Dowdel and I hope she lives forever so there are more of them!

Calico Bush by Rachel Field with original wood engravings by Allen Lewish -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction/Classic
First published in 1931, this book tells the story of Marguerite "Maggie" Ledoux, a 12-year-old French orphan who is bound-out to a Massachusetts family as they head up the coast to settle in Maine. The journey is difficult and though Marguerite is treated kindly, the Sargent family do not understand or like Marguerite's French ways and Marguerite feels like an outsider. when the family reaches the Maine coast, they learn of the hostilities between the Indians and the local settlers. Neighbors encourage the Sargent's to settle elsewhere but Joel is determined to settle on the acreage he bought. During the first year of settlement, Maggie and the Sargents must learn to tame the wilderness and be strong and brave during difficult times. The far of Indian attack is always on their minds and it's up to Maggie to save the family she has grown to care for. Finally, Maggie must decide whether she is French or American or both and make a monumental decision about her future. This is a Newbury Honor book, though it may be difficult for modern readers to understand the historical usage of derogatory terminology used to describe the Indians and their traditional ways. Modern readers may also find the story slow and lacking in a cohesive plot. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the scenery and the struggles the family went through. I had a problem with the historical accuracy of the fashions, some of which belong to the 19th century instead of early 18th century. The same holds true for patchwork quilts, which were more common after the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century. The story was interesting though very sad in some parts. I don't have any memories of reading this book as a child but I am certain I must have, therefore, it wasn't very memorable and I don't think it will be all that memorable this time around either. This book would be best enjoyed by older children and their parents.